Unlikely allies weave myth of Christian America, historian says
 
DALLAS-A seemingly unlikely alliance between conservative Christian evangelicals and Mormons recasts American history as the founding of a distinctively Christian republic, Stephen Stookey told a gathering of church historians.Self-styled historian David Barton and conservative provocateur Glenn Beck-both inspired by the late Mormon conspiracy theorist W. Cleon Skousen-use tactics of half-truth and faulty scholarship to create a mythical America constitutionally established as a Christian nation, said Stookey, professor of church history and director of the master of arts in theological studies program at Dallas Baptist University .

Stephen Stookey
"Defenders of Christian America historiography claim they are merely recovering accurate American history from revisionists who seek to expel Christian voices from the public square and expunge all vestiges of Christian influence from America's past, present and future," Stookey told the annual meeting of the Baptist History & Heritage Society , May 20 at DBU.Some efforts to secularize, minimize or ignore America's religious heritage certainly exist, he acknowledged."However, in reacting to perceived revisions of American history, Christian America advocates recast American history, creating a quasi-mythical American tale-a story with just enough truth to give the air of credibility but riddled with historical inaccuracies," said Stookey.Proponents of Christian America presuppose the United States "was, is and should continue to be a constitutionally established Christian nation," he explained. Any evidence to the contrary is ignored or recast, he said.Click here for complete article:http://www.baptiststandard.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=12554&Itemid=53